Just try
by Jackline
Summary: Sequel to Why, Percy?. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It's the late evening. The day of the wedding, that never took place. Not really, although they were already a husband and wife when Fleur was killed. At first, everyone was terribly shock. Especially, of course, her parents and her sister. Mum was hysterical when she understood that Death Eaters took Fred. In addition, it took Charlie and me almost ten minutes to drag Bill away from Fleur's body. He just didn't react to our words as if he didn't hear us at all. He was just repeating over and over again: "It's impossible. It can't be true!"

Only two hours after the attack chaos more or less cleared. McGonagall decided to call an urgent meeting of the Order. Mum wasn't there. As well as Bill, George and Ginny who stayed with George. Decisions where commonplace and simple. Look for George. Do everything possible.

Dad didn't pay any attention to me neither at the meeting nor afterwards. Actually no one really did. Charlie made several attempts to talk to Bill but was unsuccessful. Bill made it quite clear where he wanted everyone to go. It was the first time when I clearly saw that Grayback's attack had _truly _changed him. Bill I knew would have never shut himself up no matter what happened to him. Not from Charlie, anyway.

George was being comforted by Ron, Harry and Ginny. Hermione left half an hour ago after doing tea for Mum and comforting her and George. There was just no place for her to sleep in the house.

"There you are…," it's Charlie.

I look up at him with a sad smile: "Well, where should I be?"

"I don't know. It's just…All family is in the house", he shrugs.

"I doubt that Father's keen on seeing me there."

"Then why are you still here?"

It's my turn to shrug: "Because of Bill. And George. I thought I might be needed here. Don't really know why I thought so."

"You thought so because it's true," he says calmly.

I raise my eyebrows.

He says: "Mum is crying her eyes out. Dad's with her. I don't think he will mind you being there."

"He probably just won't notice," I say calmly and indifferently. At first, two years ago, I was angry. Then I was sad. After that, it was really painful. Now my mind was concerned with other things.

"It's not Dad I want to talk with you about. It's Bill. Among us all he is in the worst state."

"I know. It's horrible," I whisper.

"He is not opening the door. It frightens me" he says concern evident in his voice and eyes.

"Then come in without invitation." I propose.

"May be you'll try to talk to him. If you are not intending to spend the night in the garden," he proposes in his turn.

"I am not intending to do that. However, I doubt that I will be more successful that you. You two were closer that I and him" I shrug.

"Perce, just try. If you are not successful, I will break the door," he says firmly. "No matter what he thinks he is not spending night alone in his room."

"If I am not successful, I will break the door without your help," I shrug. It's not a joke. Or sarcasm. I am serious.

_I know that I was talking about December. And I am **still** talking about it. I just had I bit of free time to write the first chapter. Updates won't be frequent (if there will be any at all) until December._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Banging at the door and asking to open it wasn't successful. Bill just didn't react in anyway.

"Well", Charlie says hesitantly.

"_Alihomora!_" I shout instead of replying.

The bedroom is empty. I shake my head. "Very well… We don't have anti-apparition barriers…" I mutter.

Charlie shrugs "It was never necessary".

"Yeah… Even with Death Eaters around who will be able to Apparate and Disapparate in and out of the Burrow if they will ever want to," I mutter again knowing very well how irritated Charlie might be with these comment.

"Percy, don't start… This is a very bad habit of yours." Charlie says. He sounds annoyed.

"What? Worrying about my family's safety?" I reply coldly.

"No. Being so annoyingly bossy and know-it-all person!" he snaps at me.

I sight and change the subject: "Where is he? Do you know he might have gone?"

"In the state he probably is?"

"Exactly."

Where would I have gone if my fiancée died tragically and unexpectedly? Bill surely didn't want to talk to anyone otherwise he wouldn't have left. And it might be a good idea to leave him alone. But…The way he had acted just after…well… the attack. It was worrying. And frightening in some way. Bill had always been a carefree, easy-going person. Very talented, no need to study night and day. Popular with girls. Changing girlfriends more often than necessary. Lots of friends. Never in bad mood. But he obviously no longer is _that _person. And what this new person might do now… I didn't want to even think about it… If… May be…

"Are there any places he went to Fleur with? Any… I dunno.. special places?" I ask Charlie.

He frowns. Than says: "Mmmm… Fleur was talking once or twice about some park…In Muggle part of London. But I don't know its name… But she was saying…"

After some deductive reasoning worthy of Sherlock Holmes (a hero from some Muggle book) I manage to understand what park it might be. Don't laugh at me. I am not such a Muggle-lover like my Father but Muggle London _is _beautiful.

"So… You or me?" I finally say.

"You seem to know Muggle London better than I do" Charlie says in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Very well… Wish me luck… May be he is not even there," I say and Disapparate.

You can't Apparate in front of Muggles but no one can see you at night. So I wasn't as cautious as I may be should have been. Never mind that. No one saw me. I am sure.

Bill is there, sitting on a bench, his face in his hands. I take a deep breath. Please, I am not the person who should be doing that. It should be Charlie. Why did he send me here? Why me???

I don't know if I am doing the right thing. May be Bill really don't need anyone right now. If I were in his place I would want people to leave me alone. But would it be what I'll need? May be… Oh… To Hell with may be!

"Bill?" I say quietly.

He raises he head and looks at me. And I don't like what I see in his eyes.

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Well… Next chapter will be this December (later) or January. I don't know yet. _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I didn't like what I saw in his eyes. His usually blue eyes were almost black and full of pain and despair. And anger. I couldn't understand who he was angry at. People who killed Fleur? Or me for finding him. Once again I think that I am not the one who should be here trying to talk some sense in Bill. Merlin! What should I say? What can I say?

How can I comfort him if I know that there is nothing that can bring comfort in this situation? Nothing I'll say or do will bring Fleur back. Still I sit on the bench beside him and look him in the eyes. He looks away first.

"What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that I don't want to see anyone," his voice is very neutral and low. He is not looking at me.

"You also made it clear that you are not thinking rationally," I snap at him, surprising even myself.

"And so what? Just leave me alone! Just go and comfort Mum. She needs it more than I do!" he says angrily.

I shake my head: "Don't say that. It's not true".

"What is not true?!" his voice is now angry and bitter. Well, it's better than despair and indifference, I think distantly.

"What's not true?! That neither of you …" his voice suddenly breaks but after a brief pause he continues. "That neither of you liked Fleur? That you didn't want us to get married".

I blink in confusion. I heard something from Charlie about Mum disliking Fleur at first. But I also heard a part of conversation between Ginny and Hermione about Fleur and Mum making peace soon after Bill was attacked by Greyback. I didn't know her well enough to form an opinion. Well, she was quite skilled in magic, at least from what I saw during the Tournament. But I didn't know her character at all. But if Bill loved her… Who was I to say anything? He didn't seem to be under any curses. So, love is love…

I frown: "Bill… I didn't know Fleur enough to… to decide whether she was good or bad for you… And anyway… You _loved _her. That's the only thing the matter… I am sure everyone…"

He interrupts me: "Percy, you weren't there when I brought Fleur to meet with our family! Mum just literally _hated _her! They didn't get along at all. Ginny was no better if not even worse!"

"Well…," I can't hide a smile. "These were just two women who were jealous!"

"It's not funny, Percy!" – he snaps unexpectedly and stands from the bench. He starts walking away.

If he decides to apparate right now… It will be really bad… I won't be able to find him…

"Bill! Bill! Wait! I am sorry!" I start following him. When he doesn't stop, I grab his hand. He tries to break free but I tighten my grip on his arm.

"Bill… I am _sorry_. Really. I know it's not funny. Just that I always expected Mum to be jealous of _any _girl that anyone if us brought in the Burrow. That's all… Forgive me… Please," I am not the person to beg. But now I do exactly this.

He seems to relax: "It's OK. Just… Percy… I don't know… It would really be better if you just left me alone. I need to calm down… I will be back by morning. We need to save Fred. And it's not time to morn Fleur. I understand… Especially that… that no one in …in… the family will miss her… While Fred…"

He looks away. He is no longer angry. And the pain in his voice is so evident that I can almost fill it… I suddenly feel that if I leave now he'll do something really stupid. Maybe he won't but I am not taking any chances.

"Bill…" I reach over and place a hand on his shoulder. "I am not leaving you… I just can't do that… It doesn't matter how _others_ feel about her death. What matters is that _you _loved her… And other than that… You will be no help in the state you are now…".

"Percy, I am not returning home now. I told you that I will be back in the morning. Leave," he repeats stubbornly shaking my hand off.

I close my eyes. I am at a loss of words. Well, much later than I expected myself to be.

Then I open my eyes. Bill is still here. He is looking at me. Suddenly I understand that he doesn't want me to leave. May be some part of him does. But the other part wants me to stay because he doesn't want to be alone with the pain he is in right now.

"Let's sit back there," I offer.

He shrugs and follows me. We settle on the bench. He stared right ahead of him. I know that I have to do something to get him out of this state. Really even anger will be better than this. But his anger didn't last long. And I was so afraid that after becoming angry he will leave and I won't be able to find him that I didn't venture to anger him further.

"Bill… You told me about Mum and Ginny. Surely others weren't like that," I ask thinking that either he will get angry again or at least start talking.

"Dad wasn't. He seemed to find her OK. I don't think he actually _liked _her though. Charlie made it clear that he wasn't fond of her but that it was my choice and not his… Ron seemed …he was… sort of.. in love with her himself, though…", he let out something between a chuckle and a sob.

I smile: "Veela's charm, I suppose… Ron's too young to resist it…".

"Yeah… May be…" he whispers.

"Percy…" he says somewhat uncertainly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I am cursed?"

I blink. Then frown: "No. What do you mean?"

"Then why do they all have to die?" he whispers suddenly.

I stare at him: "What the hell are you talking about?"

_Yeah. I know that I am late. I promised next chapter in January. It's mid-February now. Sorry. Now. People, please review. I am serious. If you don't review, I don't know if there is any point in continuing. So, either I get 6 reviews for this chapter or I don't continue. Deal? _


	4. Chapter 4

_Right. I didn't get 6 reviews for the previous chapter. Only 4. But I continue for the sake of __**Zoran**__ who asked me to. So, this chapter is dedicated to her. _

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" I ask him, dumbfounded. "What do you mean, Bill?"

"Nothing," he whispers quickly. "Nothing".

"I don't think that it's nothing," I look at him intently.

He looks at me with a slight frown, biting his lips, trying to keep tears at bay. And he succeeds. For now. Then he looks away.

"I… I met a girl. Back there. In Egypt. She was… Well, she was _different. _Not stunningly beautiful or really clever. But there was something about her that made me fall in love with her", he becomes silent for a moment while I silently pray for it not to turn out as I think it did.

"We've been together for six months. I was thinking about bringing her to London to meet Mom and Dad when…When she got killed. A very stupid death. Some Muggle killer shot her. By mistake. As it turned out. She died the moment the bullet hit her", His jaw twitches and he closes his eyes.

"When was that?" I ask. A stupid question, I know. But I don't get it. How come _no one _from our family knew. Yeah, such a happy big family. Damn it all!

"You were… You were in your fourth year", he mutters, not looking at me.

I frown trying to remember that year. I was very engaged in my schooling, well, as I always was. I remembered that Bill didn't come for Christmas that year. It was the first year he didn't, actually. Lots of work to do, etc. I didn't pay attention to it. Surprised a bit, may be. But as I always thought that job is a very important thing I didn't dwell on it too much. Charlie was in his seventh year at the time. He… I frown more.

"Did anyone in the family know?" I ask.

"Charlie did. He… He knew about her. I had to tell him", He replies, not going into detail.

But all Charlie could do then, was right you a letter. Or… He had insisted that he visited Bill for a couple of days. Mum and Dad couldn't go. Mum had to look after Ron and Ginny. Dad had some extract work at the Ministry. Charlie was of age. He went alone. Now that I remember it, I can see that Charlie _was _unusually quiet during those holidays. But I was too engaged with school to really pay attention. God. How could I've been so inattentive? How could _Mum and Dad _notice nothing??

"And now, after Fleur…", Bill unexpectedly continues and interrupts my thoughts. "I just think that… That it's because of me… I had so many girls at school… Too much it seems… So, many broken hearts. And when I fall in love, I just have no right to be happy…"

"What?" I look incredulously at my brother. "Bill, it's nonsense. It's just a bunch of a really bad luck! It has nothing to do with any curses".

"Well, but I am a curse-breaker, right?" He laughs, almost on the verge of hysteria. "May be, someone managed to put a curse on a curse-breaker? Don't you think?"

He continues to laugh. Tears fall from his eyes and run down his chicks. He laughs more. Mutters some more nonsense about curses. Continues to laugh. Looks like I've had enough. I get hold of his shoulders.

"Bill, stop it", I tell him firmly. Suddenly he is no longer laughing but he starts shaking instead. My hold on his shoulders tightly. Now he only shakes and cries. I draw him closer and hug him.

"It's not your fault," I whisper. Not clever words. Not at all. But it's all I can offer. And I continue to hold him tightly until he stops crying and shaking.

_I still want reviews. I do. So, REVIEW, please!!!_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing

_Hi, everyone. Yeah, I know that I haven't updated lately… But, well, it's not like I have enough reviews to feed my inspiration, eh?))) This chapter is for __**nightstarz, **__who was quite persistent about wanting me to update!_

I hold him until he stops crying, until he pulls away and gives me a smile or something more or less close to a smile, anyway.

"Better?" I ask him, smiling in return.

"Yeah," he mumbles "Thank you. And… Sorry… Sorry for all of this."

'It OK" I assure him. "But I think that now we really should be going back."

He nods and, silently, we Apparate together.

We are back in Bill's room. And Charlie's there, obviously waiting for us.

"Finally," he mutters. "Bill! You're… er… you're OK?"

He is hesitant and not sure how to act or what to do.

"I'm fine," Bill says to him. Charlie opens his mouth, apparently wanting to argue, but Bill just shakes his head and Charlie shuts up.

"What's going on here?" Bill asks.

Charlie shrugs: "Nothing really. Some plan for saving Fred needs to be thought of… But… Until we have any information from our spies _there… _There isn't much we can do…"

Bill frowns: "You mean… What other spies apart from Snape we have? And he isn't _our _anymore."

I look away. I do know one other spy… And I do know that Snape might still be _our _spy…. But I don't think I have any right to give them any information. Not yet, anyway.

"I don't know," Charlie replies. "But McGonagal was talking about someone who'll be here tomorrow. I don't know who she was talking about, though."

He looks at me but I just shrug. I hope that it's the person I am thinking about but…

"Fine. Let's go to sleep then. We'll have clearer heads in the morning," Charlie proposes and we agree with him.

I know that Harry is sleeping in my old room, so I have to share with Bill. As much as I prefer solitude, right now I am even glad that situation turns out like this. I don't think that Bill should be left alone now. But I am sure that he will protest if I tell him about it openly. So, it's just great that Charlie's room is smaller than Bill's, that he can't make me sleep with Charlie instead of him.

Fifteen minutes later Charlie catches me on my way from the bathroom.

"How is he?" he asks, not surprising me.

"Not well. But he is calm now, at least. Look, you could have told me about that girlfriend in Egypt," I chide him quietly. "I was too shocked to…"

Charlie looks away: "Well, he made me promise…"

"Yeah. I understand. It's just… was too shocking," I tell him. "He… He thinks he is cursed."

"What?!" Charlie almost shouts but stops himself in time. "Idiot…"

"I know. You might have to talk to him later about it. Now. Let's just finally go to sleep before we wake everyone in the house".

He nods his head, we wish each other good night, though it's highly unlikely that anyone of us will have one.

I hope that we'll have some good news in the morning. Or at least we won't receive any bad ones.

_Review, guys, review! I know that I am not among the best authors, still if you're reading my story, you might as well tell me about it, eh?)))_


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